NFL games are all about matchups and skill sets. The New York Giants were predictably throttled by the Dallas Cowboys, losing by 18 points on the road in Week 1, but are back home against a completely different type of team in the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. Dallas won a playoff game last season and...

Giants vs. Bills prediction, line: This is a much better spot for Big Blue
NFL games are all about matchups and skill sets. The New York Giants were predictably throttled by the Dallas Cowboys, losing by 18 points on the road in Week 1, but are back home against a completely different type of team in the Buffalo Bills this Sunday. Dallas won a playoff game last season and...

Andrew McCarthy: Why it's unlikely the McCabe grand jury voted against indictment
In coverage of the Andrew McCabe investigation, there seems to be a lot of adding two plus two and coming up with five.

Chances are, you probably won’t have to give many public speeches throughout your lifetime. But when those rare occasions come up – and they will – it pays to be prepared. Rather than suffer through stomach aches, sweaty palms, and several trips to the bathroom any time you have to give a presentation, do yourself...

This $11 public speaking course can help you conquer your fears
Chances are, you probably won’t have to give many public speeches throughout your lifetime. But when those rare occasions come up – and they will – it pays to be prepared. Rather than suffer through stomach aches, sweaty palms, and several trips to the bathroom any time you have to give a presentation, do yourself...

Great literature is closer than you think, and you don't even need to visit a bookstore or pick up your e-reader to find it. If you haven't got time to sit down with a book — or if you just like being read to — check out one of these sites, which allow access to thousands of free audiobooks. There's the perfect one for you in the mix! 1Loyal Books In the past, you might have known Loyal Books as Books Should Be Free (amen to that). The site offers free audiobooks from a multitude of genres, from adventure and romance to science fiction and historical fiction. Users can download titles from Loyal Books to be listened to via an MP3 file or through the Apple Podcasts app, or to stream on an RSS feed. The site offers content in 28 languages, from Ancient Greek to Urdu, not including multilingual titles. Volunteers from the site itself, or from Project Gutenberg and Librivox, which are listed below, digitize public domain books to make them accessible in the Loyal Books library. Read more...More about Spotify, Audiobooks, Entertainment, Streaming Services, and Books

10 free audiobook sites for discovering your next literary obsession
Great literature is closer than you think, and you don't even need to visit a bookstore or pick up your e-reader to find it. If you haven't got time to sit down with a book — or if you just like being read to — check out one of these sites, which allow access to thousands of free audiobooks. There's the perfect one for you in the mix! 1Loyal Books In the past, you might have known Loyal Books as Books Should Be Free (amen to that). The site offers free audiobooks from a multitude of genres, from adventure and romance to science fiction and historical fiction. Users can download titles from Loyal Books to be listened to via an MP3 file or through the Apple Podcasts app, or to stream on an RSS feed. The site offers content in 28 languages, from Ancient Greek to Urdu, not including multilingual titles. Volunteers from the site itself, or from Project Gutenberg and Librivox, which are listed below, digitize public domain books to make them accessible in the Loyal Books library. Read more...More about Spotify, Audiobooks, Entertainment, Streaming Services, and Books

Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports The Broncos’ pass rush has been MIA, Andy Dalton is lighting it up, and the Baker Mayfield-OBJ pairing lacks spark ... for now. It’s Week 2 in the NFL, which means it’s time for everybody to panic and shotgun-blast definitive predictions based on what they saw in the season openers. Right now, all opinions for the 2019 season are premature (including ours!), but we’re still going to decide which early outcomes are the exception rather than the rule. Was it a fluke that the Browns came out and looked like ... the Browns? Is Baker Mayfield going to struggle in his second season, or will he pick things up next game? Is Dalvin Cook a superstar now, or were the Falcons just Falconing? Was Case Keenum actually being remote controlled by some better quarterback, or is he actually somehow good now? These are just some of the many questions we have after the first week and change of the the new season. Some, we might even have potential answers for. Here are five things that have happened so far that we think are flukes. Surprise: The Broncos’ lack of pass rush Why it’s a fluke: In our season predictions, I listed Bradley Chubb as the guy who would win Defensive Player of the Year. It still kind of blows my mind that the rest of the NFL allowed Von Miller and Chubb to wind up on the same team. I feel like Chubb is right on the cusp of breaking out and dominating the NFL. And I’m not too concerned with how things played out in Week 1, which was ... poorly. The Broncos lost, while allowing the Raiders’ offense to operate without Derek Carr being sacked — or hit — a single time. The Broncos didn’t get to Carr once, and neither Chubb nor Miller was credited with a tackle for loss. This is absolutely the last team in the NFL I’d expect to say that about, and it’s because of that expectation (or lack thereof) that I’m calling this one a fluke. The Raiders have definitely worked on improving their offensive line, and Carr got his throws out quickly. But Chubb, Miller, and the rest of the Broncos’ defensive front — not to mention Vic Fangio’s defensive mind — are too good for that last as the season progresses. — James Brady Surprise: The Falcons’ lifeless offense Why it’s a fluke: Matt Ryan is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he didn’t play like it against the Vikings. In his underrated 2018 season, he threw for 4,924 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. In his first game of 2018, he was picked off twice, including his first pass of the game. The Falcons’ offense struggled to move the ball until they were down 28-0 late, finally scoring with 9 minutes left and then again with just over a minute remaining to lose 28-12. Devonta Freeman finished with just 19 yards on eight carries and lost a fumble. Julio Jones caught a touchdown pass, but he only hauled in six of his 11 targets for 31 yards. Falcons fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the performance of the offense, though. They had three terrible turnovers, but Ryan’s track record is too strong and Atlanta’s offense just has too much talent for this to be a trend moving forward. (The defense is another story — the Vikings only had to throw the ball 10 times!) They’ll be fine on that side of the ball, and so will the former MVP. — Charles McDonald Surprise: Andy Dalton, NFL passing yards leader Why it’s a fluke: Dalton might be 2019’s FitzMagic, but that’s it. The Bengals didn’t look like much coming into 2019. While they’d fired longtime coach Marvin Lewis, their fresh start relied heavily on bringing unreliable performers like Bobby Hart and Tyler Eifert back into the fold. With A.J. Green stuck in a walking boot, the outlook was grim for the Cincinnati offense. And then Andy Dalton threw for a league-high 418 yards against the Seahawks. Granted, it took him 51 passes to get there, but it was a still an efficient and powerful performance for a player who missed a good chunk of 2018 due to injury. Dalton thrived under new head coach Zac Taylor’s guidance. So did former first-round wideout John Ross, who had seven catches for 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That’s great, but it’s in no way sustainable. Ross’ previous career highs before last Sunday were three catches and 52 yards. His breakout game in Seattle was every bit as attributable to the failings of the Seahawks’ secondary as to his route running. Another touchdown for John Ross!@andydalton14 ➡️ @WatchJRoss. 55-yard @Bengals TD! #SeizeTheDEY #CINvsSEA : CBS: NFL app // Yahoo Sports appWatch on mobile: https://t.co/PoZiStO3mL pic.twitter.com/0Rlr91Bz9N— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2019 He won’t be able to catch opponents sleeping after that Week 1 explosion. While Dalton can turn to 1,000-yard wideout Tyler Boyd if Ross regresses, the rest of his wideout room is pretty limited until Green returns to the field. Dalton had never thrown for 400+ yards in his career before Week 1. Green, Boyd, and a leveled-up Ross can get him there again this fall — but it’ll take a while, and he’s going to need another team with a tissue-soft secondary to get there. — Christian D’Andrea Surprise: The Jaguars’ poor defensive showing Why it’s a fluke: Loading up defensively with players like Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, and Yannick Ngakoue has given Jacksonville with a top-five defense the last couple years. It was the reason the Jaguars made it as far as the AFC Championship in the 2017 season. They sure didn’t look good defensively in Week 1, though. The Jaguars gave up 40 points, 491 yards of total offense, and finished with zero sacks or turnovers. On the other hand, it was the Chiefs — a team that averaged 35.3 points and 425.6 yards per game in 2018. If other teams on the Jaguars’ schedule are licking their chops at the prospect of lighting up the secondary the way Patrick Mahomes did, they’re probably not going to be so fortunate. The Jaguars are still stacked with playmakers on that side of the ball and should bounce back just fine. They’re too talented not to. — Adam Stites Surprise: The Baker Mayfield + Odell Beckham Jr. duo wasn’t very fun Why it’s a fluke: Despite what Gregg Williams says, Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the NFL’s most dynamic players. Pairing him up with a hotshot young quarterback, and a head coach whose offense was tailor-made for big plays, seemed like a free fireworks show every week. Things started off so promising too: Odell Beckham's first catch as a Cleveland Brown was a good one pic.twitter.com/PNIsh9hzzH— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 8, 2019 After that? Meh. While Beckham was the Browns’ leading receiver, his seven-catch, 71-yard day was average for him and, frankly, kinda boring. No touchdowns. No one-handed grabs. No kicking net proposals. Mayfield zeroed in on his new No. 1 wideout a little too much, targeting him 11 times and looking like he was try to force the connection — or a play. Things should be able to come along naturally, though. Beckham didn’t play at all in the preseason due to a hip injury and likely still isn’t at full strength. Mayfield had little protection from an offensive line whose starting left tackle was ejected. Both players should be motivated after their lackluster Week 1 performances, especially because they tend to feed off their haters. And if anything could help their chemistry, it’s teaming up to get revenge on Williams, a coach Beckham accused of purposely trying to injure him. As for Mayfield, we already know how much he likes to get back at former coaches. Week 2 against the Jets could be the real beginning of a beautiful friendship. — Sarah Hardy

5 early NFL surprises that we think are flukes
Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports The Broncos’ pass rush has been MIA, Andy Dalton is lighting it up, and the Baker Mayfield-OBJ pairing lacks spark ... for now. It’s Week 2 in the NFL, which means it’s time for everybody to panic and shotgun-blast definitive predictions based on what they saw in the season openers. Right now, all opinions for the 2019 season are premature (including ours!), but we’re still going to decide which early outcomes are the exception rather than the rule. Was it a fluke that the Browns came out and looked like ... the Browns? Is Baker Mayfield going to struggle in his second season, or will he pick things up next game? Is Dalvin Cook a superstar now, or were the Falcons just Falconing? Was Case Keenum actually being remote controlled by some better quarterback, or is he actually somehow good now? These are just some of the many questions we have after the first week and change of the the new season. Some, we might even have potential answers for. Here are five things that have happened so far that we think are flukes. Surprise: The Broncos’ lack of pass rush Why it’s a fluke: In our season predictions, I listed Bradley Chubb as the guy who would win Defensive Player of the Year. It still kind of blows my mind that the rest of the NFL allowed Von Miller and Chubb to wind up on the same team. I feel like Chubb is right on the cusp of breaking out and dominating the NFL. And I’m not too concerned with how things played out in Week 1, which was ... poorly. The Broncos lost, while allowing the Raiders’ offense to operate without Derek Carr being sacked — or hit — a single time. The Broncos didn’t get to Carr once, and neither Chubb nor Miller was credited with a tackle for loss. This is absolutely the last team in the NFL I’d expect to say that about, and it’s because of that expectation (or lack thereof) that I’m calling this one a fluke. The Raiders have definitely worked on improving their offensive line, and Carr got his throws out quickly. But Chubb, Miller, and the rest of the Broncos’ defensive front — not to mention Vic Fangio’s defensive mind — are too good for that last as the season progresses. — James Brady Surprise: The Falcons’ lifeless offense Why it’s a fluke: Matt Ryan is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he didn’t play like it against the Vikings. In his underrated 2018 season, he threw for 4,924 yards, 35 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. In his first game of 2018, he was picked off twice, including his first pass of the game. The Falcons’ offense struggled to move the ball until they were down 28-0 late, finally scoring with 9 minutes left and then again with just over a minute remaining to lose 28-12. Devonta Freeman finished with just 19 yards on eight carries and lost a fumble. Julio Jones caught a touchdown pass, but he only hauled in six of his 11 targets for 31 yards. Falcons fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the performance of the offense, though. They had three terrible turnovers, but Ryan’s track record is too strong and Atlanta’s offense just has too much talent for this to be a trend moving forward. (The defense is another story — the Vikings only had to throw the ball 10 times!) They’ll be fine on that side of the ball, and so will the former MVP. — Charles McDonald Surprise: Andy Dalton, NFL passing yards leader Why it’s a fluke: Dalton might be 2019’s FitzMagic, but that’s it. The Bengals didn’t look like much coming into 2019. While they’d fired longtime coach Marvin Lewis, their fresh start relied heavily on bringing unreliable performers like Bobby Hart and Tyler Eifert back into the fold. With A.J. Green stuck in a walking boot, the outlook was grim for the Cincinnati offense. And then Andy Dalton threw for a league-high 418 yards against the Seahawks. Granted, it took him 51 passes to get there, but it was a still an efficient and powerful performance for a player who missed a good chunk of 2018 due to injury. Dalton thrived under new head coach Zac Taylor’s guidance. So did former first-round wideout John Ross, who had seven catches for 158 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That’s great, but it’s in no way sustainable. Ross’ previous career highs before last Sunday were three catches and 52 yards. His breakout game in Seattle was every bit as attributable to the failings of the Seahawks’ secondary as to his route running. Another touchdown for John Ross!@andydalton14 ➡️ @WatchJRoss. 55-yard @Bengals TD! #SeizeTheDEY #CINvsSEA : CBS: NFL app // Yahoo Sports appWatch on mobile: https://t.co/PoZiStO3mL pic.twitter.com/0Rlr91Bz9N— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2019 He won’t be able to catch opponents sleeping after that Week 1 explosion. While Dalton can turn to 1,000-yard wideout Tyler Boyd if Ross regresses, the rest of his wideout room is pretty limited until Green returns to the field. Dalton had never thrown for 400+ yards in his career before Week 1. Green, Boyd, and a leveled-up Ross can get him there again this fall — but it’ll take a while, and he’s going to need another team with a tissue-soft secondary to get there. — Christian D’Andrea Surprise: The Jaguars’ poor defensive showing Why it’s a fluke: Loading up defensively with players like Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, and Yannick Ngakoue has given Jacksonville with a top-five defense the last couple years. It was the reason the Jaguars made it as far as the AFC Championship in the 2017 season. They sure didn’t look good defensively in Week 1, though. The Jaguars gave up 40 points, 491 yards of total offense, and finished with zero sacks or turnovers. On the other hand, it was the Chiefs — a team that averaged 35.3 points and 425.6 yards per game in 2018. If other teams on the Jaguars’ schedule are licking their chops at the prospect of lighting up the secondary the way Patrick Mahomes did, they’re probably not going to be so fortunate. The Jaguars are still stacked with playmakers on that side of the ball and should bounce back just fine. They’re too talented not to. — Adam Stites Surprise: The Baker Mayfield + Odell Beckham Jr. duo wasn’t very fun Why it’s a fluke: Despite what Gregg Williams says, Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the NFL’s most dynamic players. Pairing him up with a hotshot young quarterback, and a head coach whose offense was tailor-made for big plays, seemed like a free fireworks show every week. Things started off so promising too: Odell Beckham's first catch as a Cleveland Brown was a good one pic.twitter.com/PNIsh9hzzH— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 8, 2019 After that? Meh. While Beckham was the Browns’ leading receiver, his seven-catch, 71-yard day was average for him and, frankly, kinda boring. No touchdowns. No one-handed grabs. No kicking net proposals. Mayfield zeroed in on his new No. 1 wideout a little too much, targeting him 11 times and looking like he was try to force the connection — or a play. Things should be able to come along naturally, though. Beckham didn’t play at all in the preseason due to a hip injury and likely still isn’t at full strength. Mayfield had little protection from an offensive line whose starting left tackle was ejected. Both players should be motivated after their lackluster Week 1 performances, especially because they tend to feed off their haters. And if anything could help their chemistry, it’s teaming up to get revenge on Williams, a coach Beckham accused of purposely trying to injure him. As for Mayfield, we already know how much he likes to get back at former coaches. Week 2 against the Jets could be the real beginning of a beautiful friendship. — Sarah Hardy

Will We Ever Get Multi-day Battery Life on the Apple Watch?
Yesterday we got a glimpse at the Apple Watch Series 5. While it boasts a new LTPO screen and some software updates, one thing that hasn’t changed is its 18-hour, “all-day” battery life.Read more...

Thomas Piketty, the French economist behind 2014's game-changing Capital in the 21st Century, has a new book, Capital and Ideology (out in France now, coming in English in 2020), which uses the same long-run economic series that Capital 21C benefited from to understand the relationship between wealth and ideology. Central to Piketty's thesis: that it's not enough to use class to understand how people vote -- you also have to take account of peoples' beliefs about class (this is a neat way of resolving the tension between traditional left class analysis and contemporary "identitarian" theories of leftist politics). In a very accessible slide deck from a 2019 presentation, Piketty explains this theory using long-run data-series from elections in the US, the UK and France. These data series show how our politics were transformed to the current situation, with nativist/authoritarian parties on the rise: * Initially, left parties represented low-education/low-opportunity workers, while right parties represented the capital and professional classes * Over time, left parties made progress in advancing opportunities for some low-income workers, and shifted to representing the interests of high-education, socially liberal elites, whom Piketty calls the "Brahmin left" * The right parties, meanwhile, became even more firmly entrenched in representing the interests of the "merchant right" * Both factions embraced globalism, migration, and dismantling of trade protections, including the social safety net that stood in the way of "global competitiveness," which left low-opportunity, low-education people in increasingly dire straits, pressed by lowering wages and reduced social safety nets * The Brahmin left largely abandoned its universalist/egalatarian platform in favor of a "meritocratic" one that joined the right parties in a semi-eugenic belief in some peoples' innate superiority (Piketty: "hard to have a platform promising a PhD for all") * The Brahmin left parties want to tax the merchant right at slightly higher levels to pay for operas and universities but are otherwise OK with globalism, attacks on trade unions, etc * Low-education/low-opportunity workers stop showing up at the polls: there's been a collapse in their participation in politics (this also made the two factions increasingly indifferent to their needs) * The merchant right has reactivated these voters by making nativist/racist appeals, blaming foreigners for their collapsing fortunes. Read the rest

Piketty on the "Brahmin left" and the "merchant right"
Thomas Piketty, the French economist behind 2014's game-changing Capital in the 21st Century, has a new book, Capital and Ideology (out in France now, coming in English in 2020), which uses the same long-run economic series that Capital 21C benefited from to understand the relationship between wealth and ideology. Central to Piketty's thesis: that it's not enough to use class to understand how people vote -- you also have to take account of peoples' beliefs about class (this is a neat way of resolving the tension between traditional left class analysis and contemporary "identitarian" theories of leftist politics). In a very accessible slide deck from a 2019 presentation, Piketty explains this theory using long-run data-series from elections in the US, the UK and France. These data series show how our politics were transformed to the current situation, with nativist/authoritarian parties on the rise: * Initially, left parties represented low-education/low-opportunity workers, while right parties represented the capital and professional classes * Over time, left parties made progress in advancing opportunities for some low-income workers, and shifted to representing the interests of high-education, socially liberal elites, whom Piketty calls the "Brahmin left" * The right parties, meanwhile, became even more firmly entrenched in representing the interests of the "merchant right" * Both factions embraced globalism, migration, and dismantling of trade protections, including the social safety net that stood in the way of "global competitiveness," which left low-opportunity, low-education people in increasingly dire straits, pressed by lowering wages and reduced social safety nets * The Brahmin left largely abandoned its universalist/egalatarian platform in favor of a "meritocratic" one that joined the right parties in a semi-eugenic belief in some peoples' innate superiority (Piketty: "hard to have a platform promising a PhD for all") * The Brahmin left parties want to tax the merchant right at slightly higher levels to pay for operas and universities but are otherwise OK with globalism, attacks on trade unions, etc * Low-education/low-opportunity workers stop showing up at the polls: there's been a collapse in their participation in politics (this also made the two factions increasingly indifferent to their needs) * The merchant right has reactivated these voters by making nativist/racist appeals, blaming foreigners for their collapsing fortunes. Read the rest

Asked recently why he was running for president, Joe Biden insisted to a reporter that burning ambition was not the reason. “Could I die happily not having heard ‘Hail to the Chief’ play for me?” Biden asked, then answered his own question by saying, “Yeah, I could.” That’s good to know because it will make...

Goodwin: It’s time for Joe Biden to drop out of the race
Asked recently why he was running for president, Joe Biden insisted to a reporter that burning ambition was not the reason. “Could I die happily not having heard ‘Hail to the Chief’ play for me?” Biden asked, then answered his own question by saying, “Yeah, I could.” That’s good to know because it will make...

Britain's Liberal Democrats formally adopt 'Stop Brexit' policy
Britain's Liberal Democrats party on Sunday toughened its anti-Brexit stance, formally adopting a policy to cancel leaving the European Union if it wins power at a national election.

Conventional wisdom has it that lower interest rates equal good news for borrowers — but that might not be the case in today’s economy. As the US interest rate falls, banks are ginning up policies that could pull the plug on American prosperity and possibly plunge the economy into a deep recession, according to some...

Economy teetering on edge of recession as rates fall, analysts warn
Conventional wisdom has it that lower interest rates equal good news for borrowers — but that might not be the case in today’s economy. As the US interest rate falls, banks are ginning up policies that could pull the plug on American prosperity and possibly plunge the economy into a deep recession, according to some...

Iran distanced itself on Sunday from attacks on Saudi oil facilities but hardliners in Tehran might chalk the assaults up as a win against Washington's tougher policy toward the Islamic Republic, officials and analysts said.

Iran hardliners likely to gain from tensions over Aramco attacks
Iran distanced itself on Sunday from attacks on Saudi oil facilities but hardliners in Tehran might chalk the assaults up as a win against Washington's tougher policy toward the Islamic Republic, officials and analysts said.

Printworks, LondonThe electronic music legend melted genres at breakneck speed in this peerless ambient-to-hardcore festival outing – to the delight of a young crowdWhen Printworks opened to much hurrah two years ago, it did so during a run of venue closures in London. It’s aesthetically impressive and has quickly become one of the best venues for large-scale electronic events, and so is ripe for an Aphex Twin brain-tickle – even if free earplugs, sadly, aren’t on offer. Although the musician has never relied on album cycles to draw in new audiences, it is striking how young the audience winding through Printworks is. As well as releasing around a dozen EPs in the past decade on his own label, Rephlex, and Warp, there was mass excitement about Richard David James’s “return” as an album artist in 2014, with the Grammy award-winning Syro – and the memorable flight of a neon-green blimp bearing the Aphex Twin logo over London. Along with the weight of his back catalogue and mythical status, what makes shows such as these sell out in minutes is Aphex Twin’s love of spectacle and keen support for new electronic artists. The former is a perfect fit for this, the Red Bull music festival’s high concept (and budget). In terms of the latter, he’s viewed as a switched-on father figure to younger artists and fans, his hybrid set blending new club tracks with live modular jams, his own music, and ripe selections of 90s UK hardcore. Continue reading...

Aphex Twin review – wild lights, jungle buzzsaw and a boo for Boris
Printworks, LondonThe electronic music legend melted genres at breakneck speed in this peerless ambient-to-hardcore festival outing – to the delight of a young crowdWhen Printworks opened to much hurrah two years ago, it did so during a run of venue closures in London. It’s aesthetically impressive and has quickly become one of the best venues for large-scale electronic events, and so is ripe for an Aphex Twin brain-tickle – even if free earplugs, sadly, aren’t on offer. Although the musician has never relied on album cycles to draw in new audiences, it is striking how young the audience winding through Printworks is. As well as releasing around a dozen EPs in the past decade on his own label, Rephlex, and Warp, there was mass excitement about Richard David James’s “return” as an album artist in 2014, with the Grammy award-winning Syro – and the memorable flight of a neon-green blimp bearing the Aphex Twin logo over London. Along with the weight of his back catalogue and mythical status, what makes shows such as these sell out in minutes is Aphex Twin’s love of spectacle and keen support for new electronic artists. The former is a perfect fit for this, the Red Bull music festival’s high concept (and budget). In terms of the latter, he’s viewed as a switched-on father figure to younger artists and fans, his hybrid set blending new club tracks with live modular jams, his own music, and ripe selections of 90s UK hardcore. Continue reading...

Cops have collared a homeless man in the slaying of a for-hire driver in The Bronx more than six months after the 27-year-old was found fatally stabbed in his car. Malik Evans, 24, was arrested Sunday and charged with murder, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the NYPD. Ganiou Gandonou was...

Suspect nabbed in deadly March stabbing of cab driver in the Bronx
Cops have collared a homeless man in the slaying of a for-hire driver in The Bronx more than six months after the 27-year-old was found fatally stabbed in his car. Malik Evans, 24, was arrested Sunday and charged with murder, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the NYPD. Ganiou Gandonou was...

Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to strengthen over the next few days, likely becoming a Hurricane by late Sunday night or Early Monday, but is forecasted to make a sharp turn northeastward on Monday and avoid landfall with the United States. Humberto likely will become a Category 2 Hurricane by midweek and should do so in the open Atlantic Ocean. Humberto does seem to be traveling in the direction of Bermuda but it is unclear at this point what, if any, impact the storm will have on Bermuda later this week. Tropical Storm Humberto currently has winds of 60 mph this morning and is about 175 miles east of Cape Canaveral, Florida, moving NNW at 7 mph. Computer models still indicate that Humberto should stay well offshore with only a couple of outer bands perhaps making it to parts of the Southeast coast. As Humberto travels north parallel to the Southeast coast line, a frontal system from the north and west should help steer it away from the US Mainland and move it into the open...

Tropical Storm Humberto gains in strength, fire warnings issued in West
Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to strengthen over the next few days, likely becoming a Hurricane by late Sunday night or Early Monday, but is forecasted to make a sharp turn northeastward on Monday and avoid landfall with the United States. Humberto likely will become a Category 2 Hurricane by midweek and should do so in the open Atlantic Ocean. Humberto does seem to be traveling in the direction of Bermuda but it is unclear at this point what, if any, impact the storm will have on Bermuda later this week. Tropical Storm Humberto currently has winds of 60 mph this morning and is about 175 miles east of Cape Canaveral, Florida, moving NNW at 7 mph. Computer models still indicate that Humberto should stay well offshore with only a couple of outer bands perhaps making it to parts of the Southeast coast. As Humberto travels north parallel to the Southeast coast line, a frontal system from the north and west should help steer it away from the US Mainland and move it into the open...

Leaders of the United Auto Workers (UAW) turned up the pressure on General Motors Co on Sunday, ordering 850 maintenance workers at five GM facilities to walk off the job ahead of a meeting in Detroit on whether to call a wider strike.

UAW walkout turns up heat on GM as contract expires
Leaders of the United Auto Workers (UAW) turned up the pressure on General Motors Co on Sunday, ordering 850 maintenance workers at five GM facilities to walk off the job ahead of a meeting in Detroit on whether to call a wider strike.

Rugby World Cup 2019: Poor discipline could cost England - Sir Clive Woodward
Poor discipline could be the only "chink" in England's chances of winning the Rugby World Cup, says former head coach Sir Clive Woodward.

WSL: Pauline Bremer marks her WSL return with Man City goal
Pauline Bremer is back in style, as the German striker bends in a beauty to give Manchester City the lead against Reading in the Women's Super League.

Live updates from the Vitality Stadium, 2pm (BST) kick-offChampions League is back – but don’t expect a fast startFeel free to email Will or tweet @Will_Unwin your thoughts 1.20pm BST We have some correspondence from the delightful Gary Naylor ...I know nothing is more likely to turn Dominic Calvert-Lewin into er... Tammy Abraham like this tweet @Will_Unwin, but he has played 79 PL games for 11 goals and seems, if anything, to be even less confident a finisher than when he started. Trying hard can only get you so far. 1.17pm BST Speaking of Wilsons, here is our very own Jonathan on the Champions League and why it is rubbish (until February). Related: Champions League is back – but don’t expect a real match until February | Jonathan Wilson Continue reading...

Bournemouth v Everton: Premier League – live!
Live updates from the Vitality Stadium, 2pm (BST) kick-offChampions League is back – but don’t expect a fast startFeel free to email Will or tweet @Will_Unwin your thoughts 1.20pm BST We have some correspondence from the delightful Gary Naylor ...I know nothing is more likely to turn Dominic Calvert-Lewin into er... Tammy Abraham like this tweet @Will_Unwin, but he has played 79 PL games for 11 goals and seems, if anything, to be even less confident a finisher than when he started. Trying hard can only get you so far. 1.17pm BST Speaking of Wilsons, here is our very own Jonathan on the Champions League and why it is rubbish (until February). Related: Champions League is back – but don’t expect a real match until February | Jonathan Wilson Continue reading...

Live updates from The Hive, kick-off 2pm (BST)Zidanesque: roulette round the keeper for stunning goalFeel free to email Alex or tweet @A_Hess 1.18pm BST Tottenham: Spencer, Neville, Godfrey, Filbey, Worm, Percival, Peplow, Furness, Ayane, Davison, Graham. Subs: Morgan, Schillaci, Wynne, Green, Haines, Dean, Quinn.Liverpool: Preuss, Jane, Bradley-Auckland, Fahey, Robe, Bailey, Rodgers, Charles, Lawley, Clarke, Sweetman-Kirk. Subs: Kitching, Purfield, Hodson, Babajide, Linnett 1.15pm BST The Hive will witness history being made today when Liverpool visit the capital for the first ever meeting between these two sides. It’s a game they’ll both be rather more desperate to win than they’d like: both slumped to 1-0 opening-day defeats, Liverpool felled at home by Reading – and a former member of their ranks in Fara Williams – while newly promoted Spurs battled gallantly in front of a bumper crowd at Chelsea but were outplayed and ultimately beaten. Just as well, then, that this afternoon presents both with the opportunity to go some way to rectifying that. And both will rightly fancy their chances: Spurs playing their first game at their new home ground against an eminently beatable Reds side, Liverpool bolstered by a handful of summer signings – most notably Melissa Lawley from Manchester City – who give the visitors the edge on paper. Continue reading...

Tottenham v Liverpool: Women's Super League – live!
Live updates from The Hive, kick-off 2pm (BST)Zidanesque: roulette round the keeper for stunning goalFeel free to email Alex or tweet @A_Hess 1.18pm BST Tottenham: Spencer, Neville, Godfrey, Filbey, Worm, Percival, Peplow, Furness, Ayane, Davison, Graham. Subs: Morgan, Schillaci, Wynne, Green, Haines, Dean, Quinn.Liverpool: Preuss, Jane, Bradley-Auckland, Fahey, Robe, Bailey, Rodgers, Charles, Lawley, Clarke, Sweetman-Kirk. Subs: Kitching, Purfield, Hodson, Babajide, Linnett 1.15pm BST The Hive will witness history being made today when Liverpool visit the capital for the first ever meeting between these two sides. It’s a game they’ll both be rather more desperate to win than they’d like: both slumped to 1-0 opening-day defeats, Liverpool felled at home by Reading – and a former member of their ranks in Fara Williams – while newly promoted Spurs battled gallantly in front of a bumper crowd at Chelsea but were outplayed and ultimately beaten. Just as well, then, that this afternoon presents both with the opportunity to go some way to rectifying that. And both will rightly fancy their chances: Spurs playing their first game at their new home ground against an eminently beatable Reds side, Liverpool bolstered by a handful of summer signings – most notably Melissa Lawley from Manchester City – who give the visitors the edge on paper. Continue reading...

Major CBS News poll released as part of Covering Climate Now, a collaboration of more than 250 news outlets around the world to strengthen coverage of the climate storyTwo-thirds of Americans believe climate change is either a crisis or a serious problem, with a majority wanting immediate action to address global heating and its damaging consequences, major new polling has found. Continue reading...

'Americans are waking up': two thirds say climate crisis must be addressed
Major CBS News poll released as part of Covering Climate Now, a collaboration of more than 250 news outlets around the world to strengthen coverage of the climate storyTwo-thirds of Americans believe climate change is either a crisis or a serious problem, with a majority wanting immediate action to address global heating and its damaging consequences, major new polling has found. Continue reading...

A San Diego woman has had surgery after dreamed she was forced to eat her engagement ring woke up to discover that she had actually eaten it. Jenna Evans was deep asleep on Tuesday night when she dreamed that her and her fiancé, Bobby, were on a high-speed train facing off with “bad guys” and during the fight Bobby told her she had to swallow her engagement ring to protect it from them, she told ABC San Diego affiliate station KGTV. When she woke up, however, she saw that the ring was gone and immediately knew what had happened. "When I woke up and it was not on my hand, I knew exactly where it was," Evans said. "It was in my stomach." Evans and her fiancé’s fears were confirmed after she got an X-ray at Urgent Care. The silhouette of the ring was clearly there right in the middle of her stomach. Things took a turn when she could feel the ring in her stomach and it started becoming painful for her. So, rather than let the ring pass through her organs naturally, the doctor...

Woman who dreamed she ate her engagement ring has surgery after she actually did
A San Diego woman has had surgery after dreamed she was forced to eat her engagement ring woke up to discover that she had actually eaten it. Jenna Evans was deep asleep on Tuesday night when she dreamed that her and her fiancé, Bobby, were on a high-speed train facing off with “bad guys” and during the fight Bobby told her she had to swallow her engagement ring to protect it from them, she told ABC San Diego affiliate station KGTV. When she woke up, however, she saw that the ring was gone and immediately knew what had happened. "When I woke up and it was not on my hand, I knew exactly where it was," Evans said. "It was in my stomach." Evans and her fiancé’s fears were confirmed after she got an X-ray at Urgent Care. The silhouette of the ring was clearly there right in the middle of her stomach. Things took a turn when she could feel the ring in her stomach and it started becoming painful for her. So, rather than let the ring pass through her organs naturally, the doctor...

Kids with money and privilege more likely to binge drink
Many parents believe that if they make a lot of money, their kids will have a better life; but when it comes to binge drinking, the more money you have, the more susceptible your kids may be

Brexit and Corbyn mean party cannot count on traditional vote in former PM’s old constituencyThere are many in Sedgefield who did much for Tony Blair during his 24 years as MP for the County Durham constituency. But it was only Stephen Elliott who agreed to sacrifice his spare bedroom window for the then prime minister, his neighbour in the former mining village of Trimdon Colliery.“When George Bush landed his helicopter here in 2003, I let the American secret service take over the back bedroom. They took the glass out and had snipers up there when the president and his wife went in to see Tony and Cherie,” said the 60-year-old builder as he ate sausage and mash in his garden on Thursday. Continue reading...

'People have lost faith': support for Labour ebbs away in Blair's Sedgefield
Brexit and Corbyn mean party cannot count on traditional vote in former PM’s old constituencyThere are many in Sedgefield who did much for Tony Blair during his 24 years as MP for the County Durham constituency. But it was only Stephen Elliott who agreed to sacrifice his spare bedroom window for the then prime minister, his neighbour in the former mining village of Trimdon Colliery.“When George Bush landed his helicopter here in 2003, I let the American secret service take over the back bedroom. They took the glass out and had snipers up there when the president and his wife went in to see Tony and Cherie,” said the 60-year-old builder as he ate sausage and mash in his garden on Thursday. Continue reading...

CNN Opinion commentators weighed in on Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro's performance in the Democratic presidential debate, vaping, John Bolton's departure, Felicity Huffman's sentence and the prospect of a female James Bond.

Two big surprises from Texas
CNN Opinion commentators weighed in on Beto O'Rourke and Julian Castro's performance in the Democratic presidential debate, vaping, John Bolton's departure, Felicity Huffman's sentence and the prospect of a female James Bond.

It was a raw, visceral moment at last week's Democratic debate when Beto O'Rourke discussed the human toll of the massacre in his hometown of El Paso and vowed, "Hell, yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."

Opinion: Two big surprises from Texas
It was a raw, visceral moment at last week's Democratic debate when Beto O'Rourke discussed the human toll of the massacre in his hometown of El Paso and vowed, "Hell, yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47."

The attack on the world's largest oil processing plant early Saturday morning is a dramatic escalation in the confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- even if the Iranians didn't fire the drones or missiles responsible.

Analysis: Attack on Saudi oil field a game-changer in Gulf confrontation
The attack on the world's largest oil processing plant early Saturday morning is a dramatic escalation in the confrontation between Iran and Saudi Arabia -- even if the Iranians didn't fire the drones or missiles responsible.

David Ortiz breaks silence 3 months after shooting: "I almost died"
Red Sox legend speaks publicly for the first time about the shooting at a Dominican nightclub that seriously injured him three months ago

'We Don't Want To Die': Women In Turkey Decry Rise In Violence And Killings
"Domestic violence never happens because there's a problem with the woman. The men are killing. They are the problem," says a rights activist in Istanbul.

A thirtysomething spinster looks for purpose and companionship in a bittersweet evocation of Britain after the great warJust twice in Tracy Chevalier’s bittersweet new novel does its heroine, Violet Speedwell, think to herself: “I want to do that.” Her wishes are self-sacrificing enough: to embroider a kneeler in Winchester Cathedral and to ring its bells. Given that the year is 1932, the first is more easily realised than the second, yet both, in their way, are radical.Don’t be fooled by the ecclesiastical backdrop. For Violet, who lost first her fiance and then a brother to the trenches, God died in the great war. More than 16 years have since passed but only now, as a 38-year-old spinster, has she finally plucked up the nerve to leave behind her overbearing mother and their Southampton home and make a life of her own. Continue reading...

A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier review – hidden hurts and secret longings
A thirtysomething spinster looks for purpose and companionship in a bittersweet evocation of Britain after the great warJust twice in Tracy Chevalier’s bittersweet new novel does its heroine, Violet Speedwell, think to herself: “I want to do that.” Her wishes are self-sacrificing enough: to embroider a kneeler in Winchester Cathedral and to ring its bells. Given that the year is 1932, the first is more easily realised than the second, yet both, in their way, are radical.Don’t be fooled by the ecclesiastical backdrop. For Violet, who lost first her fiance and then a brother to the trenches, God died in the great war. More than 16 years have since passed but only now, as a 38-year-old spinster, has she finally plucked up the nerve to leave behind her overbearing mother and their Southampton home and make a life of her own. Continue reading...

On the one hand, nostalgia is "a corruption of the historical impulse," according to William Gibson. On the other hand, "Super Mario Bros." will never not be cool. Luckily, there's a way to satisfy that retro gaming while still keeping an eye on the future: The GameShell Kit. This thing is simultaneously the last handheld console you'll ever need and the potential first step into a limitless world of indie gaming and maker culture. It's embedded, open-source GNU/LINUX operating system comes pre-installed with Cave Story, Freedom and more, but can be used to play old-school hits from the NES, Atari, Game Boy, PS1 - you name it. Just hop on to PICO8, LOVE2D or one of several game engines and take your pick of the classics. And that's just for starters. You can use ClockworkPi to mod your favorite games or fully create new ones. You can even use the customizable keypad on the GameShell as a mini-computer or controller for your own projects. After you get hold of this, any other handheld won't just seem retro - it'll be downright obsolete. Originally priced at $199, you can now get the GameShell Kit: Open Source Portable Game Console for 28% off at $142.99. Read the rest

Save over 25% on this open source portable gaming console
On the one hand, nostalgia is "a corruption of the historical impulse," according to William Gibson. On the other hand, "Super Mario Bros." will never not be cool. Luckily, there's a way to satisfy that retro gaming while still keeping an eye on the future: The GameShell Kit. This thing is simultaneously the last handheld console you'll ever need and the potential first step into a limitless world of indie gaming and maker culture. It's embedded, open-source GNU/LINUX operating system comes pre-installed with Cave Story, Freedom and more, but can be used to play old-school hits from the NES, Atari, Game Boy, PS1 - you name it. Just hop on to PICO8, LOVE2D or one of several game engines and take your pick of the classics. And that's just for starters. You can use ClockworkPi to mod your favorite games or fully create new ones. You can even use the customizable keypad on the GameShell as a mini-computer or controller for your own projects. After you get hold of this, any other handheld won't just seem retro - it'll be downright obsolete. Originally priced at $199, you can now get the GameShell Kit: Open Source Portable Game Console for 28% off at $142.99. Read the rest

Google Analytics is the no. 1 way to know definitively how much impact any information you post to the web is making. That makes it one of the most important digital tools around — and now, you can learn how to use all that power with The Ultimate Google Analytics Mastery Bundle. It’s on sale for a limited time at just $19.99 from TNW Deals.

Become a Google Analytics master for under $20
Google Analytics is the no. 1 way to know definitively how much impact any information you post to the web is making. That makes it one of the most important digital tools around — and now, you can learn how to use all that power with The Ultimate Google Analytics Mastery Bundle. It’s on sale for a limited time at just $19.99 from TNW Deals.

Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen sacked by Ravens pass rusher Matthew Judon The Dolphins gutted their roster and now they are — surprise, surprise — a very bad football team. The Miami Dolphins are awful. That’s no surprise. They were expected to be after they mostly spent their offseason getting rid of talent rather than acquiring it. But it was still staggering to see just how bad the Dolphins were when they kicked off the 2019 season by getting destroyed by the Ravens, 59-10. While head coach Brian Flores continues to insist the team’s not tanking, there’s no way around it at this point. The Dolphins are bottoming out in a way that’s usually only seen in the NBA. The one-sided loss to Baltimore was, in all likelihood, the first of many butt kickings Miami will endure in 2019. That’s even apparent to Dolphins players, some of whom asked their agents to get them traded out of South Beach, according to Pro Football Talk. “The players believe that the coaching staff, despite claiming that they intend to try to win, aren’t serious about competing and winning,” the report said. Those players are correct. The Dolphins organization is not trying to be a contender in 2019. Its goal all year has been to load up on cap space and draft picks in lieu of wins. That’s a textbook tank job. Dolphins players aren’t trying to lose, though. Roster spots are too hard to come by and careers are too short in the NFL. They’ll all give 100 percent on the field. Miami is just too far behind other teams in terms of skill to truly keep up and compete. So how did the Dolphins get to this point? They followed a simple three-step process Step 1: Gut the roster Dec. 31, 2018: The best place to start is the day Adam Gase was fired as head coach of the Dolphins after a 7-9 season. Miami finished the year 31st in total offense and 29th in total defense. The Dolphins were bad at everything, but by still managing seven wins, they didn’t even have a top-12 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Being stuck in that 6-to-8-win middle ground — somewhere the team was for most of a decade — prompted coaching and executive changes. Along with Gase’s firing, football operations were removed from executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum’s control and given to general manager Chris Grier. Former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie was later hired as a senior personnel executive and Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, a first-time head coach, replaced Gase. March 7, 2019: The first signs of tanking didn’t come until March. It started with the Dolphins releasing veteran defensive end Andre Branch and starting offensive guard Ted Larsen. Still, neither move was too surprising considering they saved the Dolphins about $9 million in combined cap space. Branch signed with the Cardinals, but didn’t make the final roster. Larsen is now a backup for the Bears. March 13, 2019: The Dolphins made another move on the offensive line by releasing Josh Sitton. He played just one game for the team in 2018 before a rotator cuff tear landed him on injured reserve. It saved the team $5 million in cap space and Sitton retired in April. That was also the same day free agency began in the NFL. The Dolphins allowed offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James, defensive end Cameron Wake, wide receiver Danny Amendola, and running back Frank Gore, among others, to walk and sign elsewhere. March 15, 2019: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was traded to the Titans after seven years and 88 starts with the Dolphins. The two teams swapped late-round selections in 2019 and the Dolphins received a 2020 fourth-round pick. Tannehill was due to count $26.6 million against Miam’s cap in 2019, a pricy number for a player who struggled to stay healthy or ascend into a top-tier passer. Following the trade — and an agreement to pay $5 million of his signing bonus on the Titans’ behalf — the Dolphins saved a little over $8 million and ate about $18.4 million in dead money. Tannehill will be off the books entirely in 2020. March 18, 2019: Career journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed to a two-year contract to be the team’s new starting quarterback. The deal provided the Dolphins with a cheap stopgap solution under center. The two-year, $11 million contract given to Fitzpatrick constituted the most expensive acquisition the Dolphins made in free agency. Only the Cowboys and Rams — two Super Bowl contenders — spent less. March 28, 2019: Pass rusher Robert Quinn, who was came over in a trade from the Rams in March 2018, was sent to the Cowboys for a 2020 sixth-round pick. He led Miami in sacks during the 2018 season with 6.5. The trade saved the Dolphins close to $12 million in cap space and stuck them with only around $1.1 million in dead money. April 25-26, 2019: Miami selected Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and traded its second-round pick for quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen, a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, started one season for the Cardinals. May 13, 2019: The most significant investment made by the Dolphins in the offseason was a five-year, $76.5 million extension given to cornerback Xavien Howard. He was their only Pro Bowler in 2018 and is now tied to the team through the 2024 season. DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, and Jesse Davis received more moderately sized extensions at other points in the offseason. Aug. 31, 2019: A week prior to their regular season opener, the Dolphins traded starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills to the Texans. The package of picks sent back to Miami was quite the haul: Official terms of now completed trade:Houston receives:T Laremy TunsilWR Kenny Stills2020 4th round pick2021 6th round pickMiami receives:2020 1st round pick2021 1st round pick2021 2nd round pickT Julien DavenportCB Johnson Bademosi— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2019 Following the trade, Julie’n Davenport was slotted in as the Dolphins’ new starting right tackle. No offensive lineman in the NFL allowed more quarterback hits (14) in 2018 or drew more penalties (16) than Davenport. He lasted just one game for the Dolphins before landing on injured reserve. Sept. 12, 2019: Less than a week after Pro Football Talk’s report that several players wanted out of Miami, the team allowed 2018 first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick to pursue a trade. Step 2: Stockpile cap space and draft picks Altogether, the offseason moved the Dolphins to the top spot in salary cap space for the 2020 season. The team is due to carry only $6.9 million in dead money in 2020 and none in 2021. It also owns the following picks in the next two drafts: 2020 1st round (Dolphins) 1st round (Texans) 2nd round (Dolphins) 2nd round (Saints) 3rd round (Dolphins) 4th round (Titans) 6th round (Dolphins) 6th round (Cowboys) 7th round (Dolphins) 2021 1st round (Dolphins) 1st round (Texans) 2nd round (Dolphins) 2nd round (Texans) 3rd round (Dolphins) 4th round (Dolphins) 5th round (Dolphins) 7th round (Dolphins) That draft capital and the Dolphins’ ample cap space was the point of the offseason teardown. It’ll be even better if they land the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s expected to be a good year to draft a quarterback with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert among the top arms in the class. That’d likely be an appealing route for the Dolphins and — by the look of the team so far — a probable outcome. Step 3: Lose a lot There have only been two winless teams over the course of a 16-game schedule in NFL history: the 2008 Lions and the 2017 Browns. The Dolphins can look to both as a source of optimism. Detroit followed its 0-16 season by drafting Matthew Stafford first overall in 2009. By 2011, the Lions were a playoff team. The Browns also tanked to acquire loads of picks, then selected Baker Mayfield at the top of the 2018 NFL Draft after their winless year. That plan seems to be paying off for Cleveland. Anything can happen in an NFL game — like a team putting their oft-injured, lunky tight end in on defense, for instance — so it’s not a foregone conclusion that the Dolphins will finish 0-16. But whew, they’re a putrid football team. Right here, we’ll keep track of their season as it unfolds: Week 1 — Ravens 59, Dolphins 10 There are many ways to dice up the carnage of that blowout, but here are a few stats that put in context just how absolutely terrible the Dolphins were in their opener: Baltimore had 643 yards of total offense (the most ever allowed by Miami). The Dolphins had 200 yards. That 443-yard difference is the worst disparity in an NFL game since the Vikings trounced the Lions in 1988. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson joined Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, and Drew Brees as one of only four players who has finished a game with more than 20 adjusted yards per attempt in a game with at least 20 passes thrown. The Dolphins had a time of possession of 19:53. It was their first time having the ball for less than 20 minutes in a game in 14 years. That’s a good ol’ fashioned steamrolling.

How the Dolphins are tanking, in 3 steps
Dolphins quarterback Josh Rosen sacked by Ravens pass rusher Matthew Judon The Dolphins gutted their roster and now they are — surprise, surprise — a very bad football team. The Miami Dolphins are awful. That’s no surprise. They were expected to be after they mostly spent their offseason getting rid of talent rather than acquiring it. But it was still staggering to see just how bad the Dolphins were when they kicked off the 2019 season by getting destroyed by the Ravens, 59-10. While head coach Brian Flores continues to insist the team’s not tanking, there’s no way around it at this point. The Dolphins are bottoming out in a way that’s usually only seen in the NBA. The one-sided loss to Baltimore was, in all likelihood, the first of many butt kickings Miami will endure in 2019. That’s even apparent to Dolphins players, some of whom asked their agents to get them traded out of South Beach, according to Pro Football Talk. “The players believe that the coaching staff, despite claiming that they intend to try to win, aren’t serious about competing and winning,” the report said. Those players are correct. The Dolphins organization is not trying to be a contender in 2019. Its goal all year has been to load up on cap space and draft picks in lieu of wins. That’s a textbook tank job. Dolphins players aren’t trying to lose, though. Roster spots are too hard to come by and careers are too short in the NFL. They’ll all give 100 percent on the field. Miami is just too far behind other teams in terms of skill to truly keep up and compete. So how did the Dolphins get to this point? They followed a simple three-step process Step 1: Gut the roster Dec. 31, 2018: The best place to start is the day Adam Gase was fired as head coach of the Dolphins after a 7-9 season. Miami finished the year 31st in total offense and 29th in total defense. The Dolphins were bad at everything, but by still managing seven wins, they didn’t even have a top-12 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Being stuck in that 6-to-8-win middle ground — somewhere the team was for most of a decade — prompted coaching and executive changes. Along with Gase’s firing, football operations were removed from executive vice president Mike Tannenbaum’s control and given to general manager Chris Grier. Former Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie was later hired as a senior personnel executive and Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, a first-time head coach, replaced Gase. March 7, 2019: The first signs of tanking didn’t come until March. It started with the Dolphins releasing veteran defensive end Andre Branch and starting offensive guard Ted Larsen. Still, neither move was too surprising considering they saved the Dolphins about $9 million in combined cap space. Branch signed with the Cardinals, but didn’t make the final roster. Larsen is now a backup for the Bears. March 13, 2019: The Dolphins made another move on the offensive line by releasing Josh Sitton. He played just one game for the team in 2018 before a rotator cuff tear landed him on injured reserve. It saved the team $5 million in cap space and Sitton retired in April. That was also the same day free agency began in the NFL. The Dolphins allowed offensive tackle Ja’Wuan James, defensive end Cameron Wake, wide receiver Danny Amendola, and running back Frank Gore, among others, to walk and sign elsewhere. March 15, 2019: Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was traded to the Titans after seven years and 88 starts with the Dolphins. The two teams swapped late-round selections in 2019 and the Dolphins received a 2020 fourth-round pick. Tannehill was due to count $26.6 million against Miam’s cap in 2019, a pricy number for a player who struggled to stay healthy or ascend into a top-tier passer. Following the trade — and an agreement to pay $5 million of his signing bonus on the Titans’ behalf — the Dolphins saved a little over $8 million and ate about $18.4 million in dead money. Tannehill will be off the books entirely in 2020. March 18, 2019: Career journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick was signed to a two-year contract to be the team’s new starting quarterback. The deal provided the Dolphins with a cheap stopgap solution under center. The two-year, $11 million contract given to Fitzpatrick constituted the most expensive acquisition the Dolphins made in free agency. Only the Cowboys and Rams — two Super Bowl contenders — spent less. March 28, 2019: Pass rusher Robert Quinn, who was came over in a trade from the Rams in March 2018, was sent to the Cowboys for a 2020 sixth-round pick. He led Miami in sacks during the 2018 season with 6.5. The trade saved the Dolphins close to $12 million in cap space and stuck them with only around $1.1 million in dead money. April 25-26, 2019: Miami selected Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and traded its second-round pick for quarterback Josh Rosen. Rosen, a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, started one season for the Cardinals. May 13, 2019: The most significant investment made by the Dolphins in the offseason was a five-year, $76.5 million extension given to cornerback Xavien Howard. He was their only Pro Bowler in 2018 and is now tied to the team through the 2024 season. DeVante Parker, Jakeem Grant, and Jesse Davis received more moderately sized extensions at other points in the offseason. Aug. 31, 2019: A week prior to their regular season opener, the Dolphins traded starting left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills to the Texans. The package of picks sent back to Miami was quite the haul: Official terms of now completed trade:Houston receives:T Laremy TunsilWR Kenny Stills2020 4th round pick2021 6th round pickMiami receives:2020 1st round pick2021 1st round pick2021 2nd round pickT Julien DavenportCB Johnson Bademosi— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2019 Following the trade, Julie’n Davenport was slotted in as the Dolphins’ new starting right tackle. No offensive lineman in the NFL allowed more quarterback hits (14) in 2018 or drew more penalties (16) than Davenport. He lasted just one game for the Dolphins before landing on injured reserve. Sept. 12, 2019: Less than a week after Pro Football Talk’s report that several players wanted out of Miami, the team allowed 2018 first-round pick Minkah Fitzpatrick to pursue a trade. Step 2: Stockpile cap space and draft picks Altogether, the offseason moved the Dolphins to the top spot in salary cap space for the 2020 season. The team is due to carry only $6.9 million in dead money in 2020 and none in 2021. It also owns the following picks in the next two drafts: 2020 1st round (Dolphins) 1st round (Texans) 2nd round (Dolphins) 2nd round (Saints) 3rd round (Dolphins) 4th round (Titans) 6th round (Dolphins) 6th round (Cowboys) 7th round (Dolphins) 2021 1st round (Dolphins) 1st round (Texans) 2nd round (Dolphins) 2nd round (Texans) 3rd round (Dolphins) 4th round (Dolphins) 5th round (Dolphins) 7th round (Dolphins) That draft capital and the Dolphins’ ample cap space was the point of the offseason teardown. It’ll be even better if they land the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s expected to be a good year to draft a quarterback with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Oregon’s Justin Herbert among the top arms in the class. That’d likely be an appealing route for the Dolphins and — by the look of the team so far — a probable outcome. Step 3: Lose a lot There have only been two winless teams over the course of a 16-game schedule in NFL history: the 2008 Lions and the 2017 Browns. The Dolphins can look to both as a source of optimism. Detroit followed its 0-16 season by drafting Matthew Stafford first overall in 2009. By 2011, the Lions were a playoff team. The Browns also tanked to acquire loads of picks, then selected Baker Mayfield at the top of the 2018 NFL Draft after their winless year. That plan seems to be paying off for Cleveland. Anything can happen in an NFL game — like a team putting their oft-injured, lunky tight end in on defense, for instance — so it’s not a foregone conclusion that the Dolphins will finish 0-16. But whew, they’re a putrid football team. Right here, we’ll keep track of their season as it unfolds: Week 1 — Ravens 59, Dolphins 10 There are many ways to dice up the carnage of that blowout, but here are a few stats that put in context just how absolutely terrible the Dolphins were in their opener: Baltimore had 643 yards of total offense (the most ever allowed by Miami). The Dolphins had 200 yards. That 443-yard difference is the worst disparity in an NFL game since the Vikings trounced the Lions in 1988. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson joined Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, and Drew Brees as one of only four players who has finished a game with more than 20 adjusted yards per attempt in a game with at least 20 passes thrown. The Dolphins had a time of possession of 19:53. It was their first time having the ball for less than 20 minutes in a game in 14 years. That’s a good ol’ fashioned steamrolling.